


even a fool knows this

by mochi_stan



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Falling In Love, Friends to Enemies, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Inspired by Music, M/M, Multi, On track, Polyamory, They are all the same age, chan knows all, not really enemies, 바보라도 알아
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:47:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24722533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mochi_stan/pseuds/mochi_stan
Summary: Minho and Hyunjin let a girl get between them. Once the best of friends, they soon became rivals for the affections of a girl they met far too recently for all of this. With a fractured friendship left over, Jeongin comes to their aid and helps them glue back the broken pieces. They soon realise that there is more love between the three of them than either of the two ever had in the girl.
Relationships: Hwang Hyunjin/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Hwang Hyunjin/Lee Minho | Lee Know/Yang Jeongin | I.N, Hwang Hyunjin/Yang Jeongin | I.N, Lee Minho | Lee Know/Yang Jeongin | I.N
Comments: 11
Kudos: 100





	1. on

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this to procrastinate and it's barely proofread but it's cute. The first half is inspired by the music video and the second half is my twist on it :D  
> also hyebin best girl she's my randomly made up oc for this but she's great

Streaks of grey clouded the blue sky above them. Hyunjin’s shoulder kept colliding with Minho’s, hands brushing in the wind, but neither of them could bring themselves to step apart. Friends since middle school, nothing could get in their way.

Nothing, except Hyebin.

Minho lurched forward as he was shoved, but his surprise was swept away by Hyebin’s smile. Every morning, the three of them walked to school together, complaining or laughing or singing. It was the best part of Minho’s day. He didn’t know what he’d do without the two of them, despite only having met Hyebin last year.

Hyunjin smiled down at her as she locked her arms around theirs. Minho tended to walk quite fast on his own, but with these two he was much slower.

“You have no idea how much trouble I’m gonna be in when Mr. Kang finds out I didn’t do the essay,” Hyebin groaned. “Don’t laugh at me!”

Minho nudged her. “Catch you in detention later, then.”

“Why would you be in detention?”

“Because he skipped detention on Friday for showing up late to science,” Hyunjin said with a sigh, shaking his head.

He was soon spewing giggles as Minho teased him, Hyebin cackling in the background. For Minho, there was only Hyunjin and Hyebin. His other friends could not match them in any way.

-

Minho had always liked Hyebin. Ever since they had first met in class, he had been infatuated with her laughter and the weird anecdotes she told them. She was the reason for his smiles on most days and the reason for his rapidly beating heart whenever their hands touched.

He liked her, but so did Hyunjin.

He realised too late what was happening. It was sometime later in the year before when they had been sat together at the park. Hyebin was telling a joke, and they laughed, but the way Hyunjin’s eyes lingered on her smile caught Minho off guard. He began watching their every move, each touch and smile, and became nervous.

Now, many months later, he had yet to bring it up to either of them. He was sure Hyebin knew somewhat that he liked her but knowing Hyunjin felt the same made Minho uneasy.

As friends should be, they were excited when the teacher put them together for the drama project. It was a big collaboration with some other kids in their class. When the ideas were being pitched, Minho figured he could slide in his idea.

“How about a love story?” he asked. “Hyunjin can film it; he’s good with cameras. Maybe, uh, Hyebin and I?”

Changbin snorted. “Sounds sappy.”

The others seemed to agree after preparing all the ideas together. With their planning sheets and roles assigned, their day seemed done.

Minho hadn’t noticed Hyunjin’s growing annoyance during their meeting, but he saw it clearly now as they waited for Hyebin to finish talking to a teacher. His eyes were fixated on the ground as he ground his teeth, jaw locked. Minho tried to say something but was interrupted by Hyunjin turning away with a sharp intake of breath.

He was thankful for Hyebin arriving just then. She dragged them both out of school by the arms, chatting to herself mostly. Hyunjin was seething.

In that moment, Minho didn’t realise how badly he might have messed up. But as the jabs started hitting, he took pleasure in the fact that he had pissed Hyunjin off over this. He liked Hyebin more than Hyunjin did. He met her first, spoke to her first, liked her first. And maybe she liked him.

It was too late to undo it. Even if Minho felt bad about upsetting his best friend, he was glad to have scored a chance to get closer to Hyebin. Maybe she would see how easy being with him was. Minho tried not to go to sleep feeling too excited, for Hyunjin’s sake.

-

As the project went on, Hyunjin and Hyebin began spending more time together going over the work. Minho knew that. He knew it was important and about the work, but it annoyed him. It had never annoyed him before, so why now?

Sometimes Minho got time alone with Hyebin. He had been alone with her so many times, so why did his heart race so much when they were close? He had to talk to her about their roles, which she was taking so casually, but he was stuck staring at her eyes as they sparkled under the pale light of the classroom.

Minho didn’t even notice the door opening until Hyunjin was sitting down on the other side of Hyebin. She gestured to the camera, but everything she was saying flew out the window He could hear her, but not the words she was saying. Minho could only see Hyunjin. Was he angry at Hyunjin?

Hyunjin fixed the camera easily, tapping away on it, but Minho was busy focusing on him. He was sure he was just angry at him. He was pissed that his best friend had interrupted his moment with Hyebin, the girl he loved.

His heart was still racing.

-

The first day of practice came. They would run through what would be done, do a little filming, and hopefully that would be the end for the day.

Minho hadn’t had such a good day in a while. He hadn’t laughed with Hyunjin in so long. He missed his best friend. Seeing his eyes crease and hearing his giggles made his heart ache.

Or maybe it was Hyebin, sat beside him, her small smile making light burst in Minho’s heart.

Jeongin even came and joined them. Jeongin was one of the youngest in the year, but he acted much younger. Minho hadn’t really noticed before, but he and Hyunjin were quite close. That annoyed him much less than the Hyebin-Hyunjin situation, but he didn’t like the idea that he could lose his best friend.

He paused. Was he losing his best friend? Hyunjin’s dimples poked through his cheeks, soft lips curved into a laugh, eyes filled with stars. Jeongin wasn’t even that funny.

Would Minho lose Hyunjin in their greed for Hyebin? Was Jeongin a better friend than he?

The others called them over. It was time to film one of the scenes.

Minho tried to wipe his hands on his trousers; they were sweating. Hyebin smiled up at him – beautiful. Jeongin was a steady presence behind him, but he couldn’t help but notice Hyunjin to the side with his massive camera, focusing on them. Not even Chan and his microphone seemed as noticeable.

“Action!”

Felix stepped away from the camera, and Minho suddenly had it facing him. He could act, he knew how to act, and he was good at it.

Their eyes met – Hyebin and Minho. He reached for her hand, she smiled, and they began running. Everything around them disappeared, except for Hyebin, Jeongin, and Hyunjin. They were all running, but Minho was faster. He let his heart carry him. He couldn’t keep the smile off his face, hoping Hyunjin was keeping up. He knew Hyebin was, her hand slotted perfectly into his. She was perfect.

-

Minho knew what Hyebin liked for lunch. She had the same every single day, so he knew what to get her. He waited in line to get the strawberry milk – two, one for him and one for her. He didn’t care that he was running, he just couldn’t wait to see her smile.

But there was Hyunjin in front of him with two drinks – one for him and, wow, one for Hyebin.

“What’s that?” Hyunjin asked, gesturing to the milk.

“For Hyebin and I,” Minho said, trying not to sound pissed. “Why do you have two drinks?”

Hyunjin glared at him. He was definitely glaring. He never glared at Minho like that.

“One for me and one for Hyebin.”

His shoulder shoved sharply into Minho’s as he headed for the classroom. Everything fucking sucked.

When they got there, they found Jeongin sat on one of the chairs and Hyebin on the other. Minho didn’t miss the look Jeongin sent Hyunjin, full of light, before he became confused by what was in their hands. Minho hated feeling left out of it all.

Stupid Hyunjin and his new best friend and his new crush. Minho wanted to hate Hyunjin. If he got Hyebin to be his girlfriend, he would forget about Minho and Jeongin would be his new best friend. Minho, friendless and girlfriendless, would be all alone. He deserved something good at least.

They glared at each other over Hyebin. She had the milk and the other drink, but she seemed uncomfortable. Minho hated that they had caused that, but all he wanted to do was point the blame on Hyunjin.

Jeongin frowned. They all stared as he took Hyunjin’s drink and sipped it. It was stupid. They were all stupid.

Hyebin didn’t even need two drinks.

-

There were good times, still. Like the games of football that they played afterschool. All eight of them on the field, kicking the ball and laughing. Minho hadn’t laughed so hard in a long time as he watched them all pile onto Chan. Felix screamed the loudest, but Hyunjin and Jeongin’s laughs were strangely deafening.

There was no Hyebin in sight; she had gone home. Minho wanted to forget about all the troubles and anger and annoyance. But seeing Hyunjin’s face made him feel strangely annoyed. Jeongin was watching Hyunjin from the side of the goal. That annoyed Minho even more.

He was determined to be better. He had to be better. He liked Hyebin a lot, right? All he could think about was beating Hyunjin, about winning, as he kicked the ball hard. Hyunjin missed. There were cheers.

Minho didn’t even care that he had skidded onto the grass. Maybe he was hurt. Minho tried not to care, grinning over his shoulder. Hyunjin could only glare at him until Jeongin helped him up.

It was fine. Minho walked off, back hot with Hyunjin’s glare. He didn’t care that Jeongin was there for his best friend. He didn’t care about any of it.

-

Hyunjin was trying to show Hyebin something on his camera. They were laughing, so what was so bad about Minho joining them? Nothing.

He sat down with them on the steps, tried to laugh with Hyebin. He wanted her to see him, really _see_ him. He wanted some magical moment where she realised that he was the one. Something where she pushed Hyunjin away and only had eyes for Minho. Something like love and fate and all the rest.

Minho entirely missed the look Hyunjin sent him, one not of hate or anger, but of longing.

-

All their weeks of work had led up to this. Minho, Hyebin, and the camera. It wasn’t a school day, so only they were in school uniform, as well as Jeongin. This was the scene Minho had been waiting for. This was his moment.

The sun was low, casting dusky pink above them. His heart was racing. Though no storm would come, Minho dreaded the one that would hit him soon. He cast a glance at Hyunjin, caught him staring at them. He tried to play it off as a random glance around, but he was caught on the look Jeongin gave Hyunjin.

This look of longing.

Minho had a few minutes to wonder. He tried to remember every moment between Hyunjin and Jeongin. Had he read things wrong? No, Hyunjin liked Hyebin. Jeongin… maybe he liked Hyunjin.

For the first time, Minho realised he had never stopped to wonder who Hyebin liked. Did she like either of them? It had been so long since the three of them had hung out together like before – like friends.

Minho stood in front of her, preparing for their scene. He heard chatter around him, then quiet. He could feel Hyunjin’s gaze on them. The camera was rolling.

The moments he had shared with Hyebin flashed by. Sitting together, laughing together, singing together. She was always smiling. Minho loved being with her.

This drama project had changed them. Minho wasn’t sure if it was good or not, but he knew the moments they shared together had meaning.

And as Minho reached for her hand, he thought about Hyunjin. He couldn’t get Hyunjin’s eyes out of his head. Bright, sparkling eyes of joy, and pink lips curled into a laugh. Minho missed Hyunjin so much.

Minho’s hand reached for Hyebin’s, but they never connected.

Hyunjin had her wrist in his hand. He wasn’t looking at anyone. Someone shouted, maybe Jisung, and they began scattering. The camera was still rolling, but all it was filming was the floor.

“Hyunjin?” Hyebin said.

It didn’t matter. Minho was staring at Hyunjin. It didn’t matter anymore. 


	2. track

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minho enlists Jeongin to help him save his friendship. Cue confusion and heart racing and Jeongin being Jeongin.

Hyebin had shouted at them, after the filming. Hyunjin had disappeared somewhere with Seungmin on his heels, but they had to finish the shooting.

When it was over, she grabbed Minho by his blazer and went in search of Hyunjin. When she found him, she stood them together and shouted at them. So much.

In the end, they were both rejected. The words, “I like someone else and I will never like either of you,” rung in their ears. But when she said, “Don’t talk to me again,” Minho knew he had fucked up.

Hyunjin ignored him for days. It was different this time to before because Hyunjin wasn’t throwing jabs at him. There were no glares. There was just nothing.

Their friends ran back and forth between them for those days. Seungmin had told everyone everything, of course, which saved Minho having to explain it over and over again, but it also meant he couldn’t hide this.

Chan called him an idiot; said he shouldn’t have sacrificed his friendship for some girl.

“But I really liked her,” Minho insisted.

“Did you not like Hyunjin?” was Chan’s refute.

“That’s different–”

Chan smiled at him, but it was a sad smile. “Is it?”

-

Hyunjin and Minho’s friendship was broken. In the first week of silence, Minho simply thought Hyunjin was upset over being rejected. But soon a month had gone by and neither of them were any closer. There were brief words exchanged, and they had to interact when their friends all hung out, but it was hard to not feel the great distance between them.

Each day, Minho had to see Hyunjin sitting beside him in class, laughing with Jisung and Jeongin, studying with Chan and Seungmin, going for lunch with Felix and Changbin. But he stopped talking to Minho. It had been so long since they laughed together.

A month went by and Minho was all alone. He lost both of his best friends in the span of a month. Or maybe he had lost Hyunjin a while ago when he first realised that they both liked the same girl. Maybe it was when he started liking Hyebin differently.

Things were different now. Minho still liked Hyebin, but he knew he didn’t like her enough anymore to ever do the things he did. He could never push Hyunjin away with the way he felt now. His feelings had been strong but short-lived, fizzing like the end of a sparkler. All that was left was the burnt stick of their friendship.

“Help me fix this,” Minho asked Jeongin one day on his way home afterschool.

Jeongin pulled his straw out of his mouth. “Fix what?”

“Me and Hyunjin, our friendship. I miss him.”

Instead of heading home, Minho went back to Jeongin’s where they spent hours figuring out how to make Hyunjin forgive him. Should he apologise? If so, how? In public or private? Did they need to bring Hyebin into it? Would Hyunjin even listen to him?

Minho left Jeongin’s with a heavy heart. He would not cry unless this was absolutely impossible.

-

At first, he tried to force himself into conversations. He sat closer and closer to Hyunjin until they were sat beside each other. He asked Hyunjin questions. He bought Hyunjin lunch.

It wasn’t much, but it was an olive branch. It was a plea.

Hyunjin listened. He answered Minho’s questions, though short and clipped. He stopped getting up and walking off whenever Minho sat beside him. He shared his milk with Minho. It was promising.

Jeongin was always with them. He was like a buffer for their anger. When Minho got annoyed at Hyunjin for ignoring him, Jeongin was there to remind him what he wanted to do. Whenever Hyunjin seemed to be about to snap, Jeongin was there for him. Minho wished Hyunjin would shout at him, though.

He missed him.

A week went by before Hyunjin smiled at him again. They were playing football, like that one day. All eight of them out on the field, laughing and screaming. The ball flew, and Minho wasn’t sure why, but it made him angry. Not at Hyunjin, but at himself.

He was faster than Jeongin. Though he was panting, he tried to be nonchalant, hand outstretched.

“You’re always so clumsy,” he said quietly.

Hyunjin’s calloused hand slipped into his. Minho pulled until Hyunjin was face-to-face with him. He didn’t let go of his hand, just holding Minho in his palm. Their hands were rough, but Hyunjin’s were much softer. This was better than holding Hyebin’s hand, Minho thought briefly.

“Thanks,” Hyunjin said.

Then he smiled before dropping Minho’s hand and jogging up to Jeongin.

Minho’s heart was racing.

-

Things were getting better. Hyunjin stopped avoiding him now, actually inviting him into conversations. He was always with Jeongin, but it didn’t annoy Minho anymore. He liked Jeongin. He liked Jeongin too much.

Jeongin was there when Minho snapped one day as the two sat on the curb of a street, shouting so hard he didn’t realise he was crying. He broke down, rocks of his anger crumbling into shards of pain. He hated the distance he had drawn between himself and Hyunjin, his best friend since young.

When the two met, they were just kids, breaching this new part of their lives. They became friends so easily, falling into each other like the sway of grass, like petals in the wind. They weren’t supposed to separate from each other.

As Jeongin held him, he cried for himself. But he also cried for Hyunjin. He had neglected their friendship over a girl they had met a little over a year ago, and now she was gone. It didn’t matter anymore. She didn’t matter as much as Hyunjin did.

Jeongin wiped his tears. He was always there for Minho, even when he was sure he didn’t deserve it. Jeongin deserved to feel loved, to be loved, by someone who cared. Someone like Hyunjin.

-

Hyebin found him one day in the library. Jeongin was somewhere trying to find a book, but she must have assumed he was alone.

“Hey,” she whispered, sitting opposite him.

Minho stared for a moment. “Hi.”

She cleared her throat. “Don’t look so shocked to see me.”

“I thought you said to never talk to you again,” he reminded her.

She shuffled closer, trying to hold Minho’s hands. He pulled them back. He didn’t want to hold her hand. It wasn’t the same anymore. Though it wasn’t her fault they both had fallen for her, she wasn’t making anything any easier right now.

“Sorry,” he mumbled.

She shook her head. “I shouldn’t have shouted at you both like that. I was just upset that you had ruined your friendship for me. I really missed you.”

“Things aren’t the same anymore. We aren’t really friends, either.”

Hyebin sighed. “I know. Which is fucking dumb. You two are inseparable.” She glanced up at him for a moment. “I actually used to think you two were secretly gay and dating.”

Minho choked on his breath, staring at her so hard he was sure he’d see right into her head. This had to be a joke.

“I- I don’t like him like that,” he said, sort of. He wasn’t sure if those were words or not.

She laughed. “You could’ve fooled me. I guess you like girls, too, but I’m still not convinced Hyunjin liked me at all. Even when it was just us two, he was either talking about you or Jeongin. I didn’t even know he liked me until Jisung accidentally told me.”

“Jisung told you? He _knew_?”

Hyebin shrugged. “Don’t ask me. I, uh, have a boyfriend now. So, I guess I’m trying to tell you to get over me and make up with Hyunjin.”

Moments after she was gone, Jeongin sat down beside Minho. He was quiet. Too quiet.

“Hey, Jeongin-ah,” Minho whispered, keeping an eye on the few students nearby. “Do you like Hyunjin?”

More silence. Minho looked up to see Jeongin biting his lip. He lifted his hand to snag his lip away. It was already beginning to tear. Jeongin continued to blink down at the table.

“I’m not gonna judge you if you do,” he said, realising how sudden that was. “Sorry. You don’t–”

“I do,” Jeongin muttered, shakily. “And- And I like you, too. I like you both.”

And then he was gone, swept away in scattered papers and the frayed end of his scarf.

-

Minho wasn’t expecting the message from Hyunjin. He was almost sure he had been blocked by him, but apparently not. It was short and demanding:

_‘meet me at the park’_

So, off Minho went on his free afternoon with the sun setting quickly over the town. The leaves were bathed in scarlet, their shadows long and dark. Minho danced around them as he waited.

A familiar face appeared at the edge of the park. Dark curls framed his golden face, with rays of sunset cascading over him. He was beautiful. Minho’s heart was racing again, and he tried to rest his palm over it to calm it.

The closer Hyunjin got, the more Hyebin’s words rung in his head. If only Jeongin were here to help.

“Hey,” he said as he got close. “Let’s sit.”

The bench was still old, paint peeling at the sides and covered in twigs and grass. They sat close, too close, so close their thighs were pushed together. Minho’s skin was on fire, but he wouldn’t show it.

“What did you want to talk about?” Minho asked, cursing internally as how nervous he sounded.

Hyunjin cleared his throat. “Us, mostly. And Jeongin, but he’s not here.”

“Jeongin?”

“Hyebin said she spoke to you.” Oh. _Oh._ “About us and Jeongin. And her. I- I need to tell you some things, actually. I’m kind of scared, though.”

Minho slung an arm around his shoulders. No matter how nervous he was, he had to stay. He wanted to be close with Hyunjin again. He wanted to talk to him and hug him and hold his hand as they walked home from school.

Hyunjin leaned his head on his shoulder. He was so scared, Minho could tell.

“I’ve always liked you,” he said. “Since middle school, maybe. I don’t know. I’ve liked you for a long, long time. And not just like a friend. When we met Hyebin, I was scared I’d miss my chance to be with you, even though I was sure you wouldn’t like me that way. You know, ‘cause I’m a boy.” He laughed, but it was a sad laugh. “I think I might have liked her for a bit. But I liked you more. I was scared of losing you. But I was more angry at you for choosing her over me. For that, I’m sorry.”

“Hey no,” Minho interrupted, rubbing Hyunjin’s arm. “I’m sorry. I should be apologising, not you. I let a girl get between us, and I hurt her in the process. I was a really shitty best friend. I was scared I would lose you to Jeongin, and you wouldn’t need me anymore. I didn’t want you and Hyebin to be together and leave me, and I liked her a lot. But I realise now how short-lived and fragile my feelings for her were. I care about you a lot.”

Hyunjin was crying. He sniffled, tears pouring down Minho’s jacket as he failed to catch them with his fingers. They shuffled to sit up, Minho ducking his head to stare up into Hyunjin’s glistening eyes. His fingers smoothed along his damp, red cheeks.

“I’m sorry for liking you,” Hyunjin said with a hiccup. “And for liking Jeongin.”

Minho was tired.

“Who said I don’t like you back?”

Stupid. He loved Hyunjin. The world was not the same without him. Their lips met briefly, Hyunjin sucking in a sharp breath. Minho moved closer until Hyunjin moved in. They were kissing, and Minho wanted to cry. He had missed his Hyunjin so much.

Now to find Jeongin.

-

Jeongin was crying when they found him in the empty classroom the next day. They quickly shut the doors, making sure no one was around. He raised his arms, and Minho was first to meet him, lifting him into his lap. Hyunjin pulled up a chair beside them.

“I’m sorry,” he whimpered, burying his head into Minho’s shoulder. “It’s so _wrong_.”

“Who the fuck said it’s wrong to love?” Hyunjin snapped. “Kiss me and tell me it’s wrong.”

Minho barked out a laugh at Jeongin’s surprise. He watched Hyunjin lean in, watched Jeongin’s eyes widen, watched their lips connect. Everything felt right again.

Jeongin pulled away, mouth hanging open, so Minho pulled his chin towards him with his free hand and met him for a kiss, too. Though short and light, it was everything.

He loved Jeongin. He had loved Jeongin for a while. He had loved Hyunjin for longer, but that didn’t matter. They loved him, too.

“Is this really happening?” Jeongin gasped, bottom lip jutting out.

Hyunjin sniffled. “Stop crying or I’ll start crying.”

Minho loved them both so much. He had nearly lost Hyunjin, nearly hated Jeongin.

He had nearly been a fool. But he loved them.

Not even the cheers of their friends outside could get between them. Everything was right again.


End file.
